Alessandro Mussolini

Alessandro Mussolini (11 November 1854 – 19 November 1910) was an Italian socialist activist who was the father of Benito Mussolini, the founder and leader of Italian fascism. Mussolini was a blacksmith by profession. He was married to Rosa Maltoni, a schoolteacher, with whom he had three children, including Benito.

Personal life On 25 January 1882, Mussolini married Rosa Maltoni, a schoolteacher and Roman Catholic. Unlike his wife, Mussolini did not believe in God and hated the Roman Catholic Church. Maltoni's father looked down upon her decision to marry Mussolini and did not approve of the marriage.

Mussolini experienced a number of personal troubles; he had difficulty in finding employment and became an alcoholic. He was arrested in 1878 on the suspicion of taking part in revolutionary activities and remained under house arrest until authorities released him in 1882 so that he could attend his marriage to Rosa Maltoni.